WAC/ASUN 2021 Offseason

[Daytripper]

As the glow of a national championship slowly fades, it is time to look at the soon-to-be-arriving Fall 2021 football season. The WAC and the ASUN have agreed to combine their members for this one season in order to be playoff eligible for the fall. Neither conference on their own qualifies for an automatic bid to the playoffs, but the combination does.

From what I have noticed, AGS has fans and posters from all of these schools except Dixie State. I hope some find their way here.

Let's discuss the matchups, potential success (or failure) of the different teams, and any other relevant football topics.

The temporary conference includes:
-Current ASUN members Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State
-Current WAC and former Southland members Abilene Christian, Lamar, Sam Houston and Stephen F. Austin
-Transitioning D-II and current WAC members Dixie State and Tarleton State

WAC/ASUN Conference schedule: This does not include any OOC games that teams will play:

9/25:
SH @ UCA; ACU @ Lamar

10/2:
UCA @ ACU; TSU @EKU; SH @ SFA (BOTPW at NRG)

10/9:
ACU @ EKU; SFA @ JSU; Lamar @ SH

10/16:
Lamar @ACU; EKU @ UCA; TSU @ DSU

10/23:
UCA @ Lamar; SFA @ DSU; JSU @ SH

10/30:
ACU @ SFA; UCA @ JSU; Lamar @EKU; SH @ TSU

11/6:
ACU @ JSU; DSU @ SH; EKU @ SFA; Lamar @ TSU

11/13:
TSU @ ACU; SFA @UCA; EKU @ SH; JSU @ Lamar

11/20:
SH @ ACU; UCA @ TSU; JSU @ EKU; SFA @ Lamar

[JSUSoutherner]

JSU goes 5-6 and Grass isn't renewed.

Please.

[SFA 93]

SFA is getting a new field as we speak, as the other one was showing some wear.

The track is also getting a new coat.

I'm going to miss the state of Texas on the field, but glad we are getting a new field for the start of a new era in the WAC.

[BEAR]

UCA Fall 2021 schedule: Waaaaay to early prediction.

September 4, 2021 Away Arkansas State Loss: FBS paycheck
September 11, 2021 Away Missouri State Toss up: These two teams enjoy this game. Well, the fans do anyway.
September 18, 2021 Home Arkansas - Pine Bluff: Win: Should be but UAPB is playing some good football.
September 25, 2021 Home Sam Houston: Likely loss. Sam returns many players and the Bears are freshman heavy.
October 2, 2021 Away Abilene Christian: Toss up. ACU has come so close so often. Is it their time?
October 16, 2021 Home Eastern Kentucky: Should be a win but EKU is more familiar with us now after last fall.
October 23, 2021 Away Lamar. Likely win. But close to a toss-up IMO.
October 30, 2021 Away Jacksonville State. Not sure on this one. Don't know JSU's situation.
November 6, 2021 Home Texas Wesleyan University. Win. Should be over a D2 anyway. But who knows...
November 13, 2021 Home Stephen F. Austin. Toss up. SFA seems to get a ton of transfer talent. They could win this and I wouldn't be surprised. Again, we are freshman heavy.
November 20, 2021 Away Tarleton State. Win maybe? Saw them this past year. They gave the SLC a good fight. More of an unknown for me.

Overall record predicted: 7-4 optimally. Losses to Ark State and Sam most likely. SFA and JSU could be. Just too many unknowns with Tarleton, JSU, and UAPB (doing so well).

[acbearkat]

UCA Fall 2021 schedule: Waaaaay to early prediction.

September 4, 2021 Away Arkansas State Loss: FBS paycheck
September 11, 2021 Away Missouri State Toss up: These two teams enjoy this game. Well, the fans do anyway.
September 18, 2021 Home Arkansas - Pine Bluff: Win: Should be but UAPB is playing some good football.
September 25, 2021 Home Sam Houston: Likely loss. Sam returns many players and the Bears are freshman heavy.
October 2, 2021 Away Abilene Christian: Toss up. ACU has come so close so often. Is it their time?
October 16, 2021 Home Eastern Kentucky: Should be a win but EKU is more familiar with us now after last fall.
October 23, 2021 Away Lamar. Likely win. But close to a toss-up IMO.
October 30, 2021 Away Jacksonville State. Not sure on this one. Don't know JSU's situation.
November 6, 2021 Home Texas Wesleyan University. Win. Should be over a D2 anyway. But who knows...
November 13, 2021 Home Stephen F. Austin. Toss up. SFA seems to get a ton of transfer talent. They could win this and I wouldn't be surprised. Again, we are freshman heavy.
November 20, 2021 Away Tarleton State. Win maybe? Saw them this past year. They gave the SLC a good fight. More of an unknown for me.

Overall record predicted: 7-4 optimally. Losses to Ark State and Sam most likely. SFA and JSU could be. Just too many unknowns with Tarleton, JSU, and UAPB (doing so well).

Lamar should be a runaway win. That team stunk up the joint against Sam Houston in March, and beat a bad Northwestern State team, who beat UIW, because UIW didn't have a defense and gave up 707 yards of offense to Northwestern State. Tarleton State will need at least a few recruiting classes to adjust to being a Division I program, but they could give some teams a scare. They just don't have the depth right now.

[acbearkat]

I think Lamar will struggle. If they get a team that can stop the run, good luck trying to move the football, unless they move to a spread option attack, which would honestly be better for them in recruiting than the triple option.

[acbearkat]

Tarleton State plays at SFA September 4. I could be at that game. I'm planning on getting a tattoo that weekend. It would be less of a hassle for me to attend an SFA night game, than it would a Sam Houston night game, because I wouldn't have to find hotel reservations. I could drive straight home after the game, since I live about 30 minutes from the SFA campus.

[SFA 93]

Yes, SFA gets their fair share of transfers, but due to the extra year granted to players, the players returning from injuries, and those who opted out of 2020, the roster is pretty stacked.

The FBS transfers that we did get for the 2021 season, with the exception of one, have played little, to no games at all, but have upside potential.

RB: REED MILES (HAWAII) 5-8; 190 (JR.)
G:33;R:286;YDS:1,384;AVG:5.0;TD:9;REC:21;YDS:147
- Started at Hawaii for most of the 2020 season, and looked really good at the SFA spring game, quick and hard to find behind the big OL men.

WR: DARRYLE SIMMONS (VIRGINIA TECH) 6-2; 212 (SO.)
- Has yet to play a game, injury issues, but played in SFA spring game and is a nice big target for us.

TE: KESHON WILLIAMS (TULANE) 6-3; 245 (SO.)
- Played in 3 games at Tulane, no stats.

DE: JAMES SYLVESTER JR. (BAYLOR) 6-4; 243 (FR.)
- Has yet to play a game.

[acbearkat]

Puddin is the only Lamar poster I've seen on here, so far.

[acbearkat]

The staff is getting a break for a little bit, and then next month will be a busy month in terms of recruiting. I expect some commitments in June and July.